Hydraulic dampener



Sept. 2, 1958 c. J. SMITH ETAL HYDRAULIC DAMPENER Filed Aug. l2; 1955 Patented Sept. 2,

HYDRAULIC nar/manen Charies J. Smith, Charles E. Read, and William I. liveli, Monroe, Mich., assignors to Monroe Auto Equipment Company, a corporation of Michigan Application August 12, 1955, Serial No. 527,966

3 Claims. (El. 267-3) This invention relates generally to hydraulic dampeners, and more particularly to a hydraulic bump stop adapted to dampen or cushion the movement of a member in one direction.

In many devices and vehicles, it is necessary to cushion or dampen the movement of a moving member. Such member may be moving relatively rapidly and may be relatively heavy so that the momentum thereof is extremely high. This is particularly true in military tanks wherein it is necessary to dampen the movement of bogey wheel suspension arms. While arrangements have been devised for such dampening operation, none have proven entirely satisfactory. Applicants have, however, developed a hydraulic dampening device which will eectively dampen the movement of a member of the aforementioned type inl one direction.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a hydraulic dampener which is designed to dampen the movement of a member having high momentum.

It is a further object o'f this invention to provide a device of the aforementioned type which will not bind or become inoperative even though the member whose movement is to be dampened causes forces to be exerted in more than one direction.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a hydraulic dampener of the aforementioned type which is relatively compact in size, exceptionally durable in construction, and relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

At is a still further object of this invention to provide in a hydraulic dampener of the aforementioned type an improved arrangement for accommodating displaced hydraulic fluid during the dampening operation.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a hydraulic dampener of the aforementioned type in which certain of the parts are flexibly mounted so as to improve the operation of the device.

These and other objects of this invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l is a front elevational view of a hydraulic dampener of this invention; and

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the structure illustrated in Figure 1, taken along the line 2 2 thereof.

Referring now to the drawing, it will be seen that the hydraulic dampener includes a housing 3 which may be formed of cast metal or the like and which provides a hollow cylindrical bore 5 therein and an adjacent hollow chamber 6. The housing is provided with suitable apertures 7 which are adapted to receive fastening means for attaching it to a device, such as a vehicle, having a movable member whose movement in one direction is to be dampened. A bore-lifting piston 9 is slidably disposed in the bore 5 and carries a suitable piston ring 11 .in wiping engagement with the wall of the bore 5. The front face of the piston 9 has a socket or recess 13 therein which is of a partially spherical shape. A plunger is provided which has a ball-like head 17 on the inner end thereof for engagement with the socket 13 so that the ball head is capable of universal movement in the socket. Extending outwardly from the plunger head 13 is a plunger shaft portion 19 which is slidably and flexibly supported in the housing 3. In this connection, a ring-like member 21 is threaded into the housing wall at the outer end of the housing. An O-ring 23 is provided between the ring 21 and the housing wall to prevent leakage of fluid therebetween. A bushing and seal assembly 25 lis disposed radially inwardly of the ring Z1 and connected therewith through an annular flexible ring 27 which permits the bushing and seal assembly 25 to oat within the limits of flexibility of the ring 27 relative to the ring 21. The bushing seal assembly 25 includes ring-like bushings 29 and seals 31. The ring 21, rubber ring 27 and bushing and seal assembly 25 close the outer end of the housing bore 5 but permit the plunger to move axially thereof and to oat within limits relative thereto so that a member whose movement is to be cushioned, which engages the outer end of the plunger 15 to move the same inwardly, will not cause binding of the plunger or the piston even if the forces exerted thereby are not all axially of the bore 5.

The housing is mounted on a device, such as a vehicle, so that aV movable member, whose movement is to be dampened, engages the outer end of the plunger 15 and moves the same inwardly, which movement causes the piston 9 to move axially inwardly in the bore 5. The bore 5 is iilled with hydraulic fluid. The housing chamber 6 has a portion thereof closed by means of a flexible diaphragm 33 which, in the particular embodiment, closes an opening at the upper rear portion of the chamber and is secured to the housing by means of a cover 35. The chamber 6 is filled with hydraulic liquid but the space 37 between the cover 35 and the diaphragm 33 is lled with tluid. it has been found that by filling the space 37 with air at atmospheric pressure, the device will operate satisfactorily, but in certain applications it may be desirable to charge the space 37 with air, nitrogen or the like at pressures exceeding atmospheric pressure. While the flexible diaphragm may be made of any suitable material, it has been found that nylon fabric coated with Neoprene provides a satisfactory flexible diaphragm.

The bore and chamber 6 communicate with each other through a valve body 39 mounted in the opposite en-:l of the bore 5 from the plunger. The valve body 39 is provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced axially extending bores 41, there being four of such bores in the particular illustrated embodiment. The vaive body is provided with an annular groove 43 around the periphery thereof which communicates with each of the bores d1. The groove in turn communicates with an aperture 47 the wali of the bore 5 so that hydraulic liquid in the bore 5 can flow therefrom to the chamber 6 through the valve body bores 1, groove 43 and aperture 47 in the housing bore wall. A compression valve 51 is disposed in each of the valve body bores di. Each of the compression valves 51 has a plunger or bore-fitting piston portion S2 and a shank portion 53 extending inwardly from the plunger portion. The extreme inner end of each Valve 51 has a pin portion 54 which is slidably supported in an aperture 55 in the inner end of the valve body 39. The outer end of the plunger portion of each valve 51 has an aperture 56 therein which communicates with the bore 5. Each aperture 56 communicates with an annular groove 57 in the periphery of the plunger portion 52 of each compression valve 51. Each annular groove 57 is adapted to communicate with the valve body groove A33 when its compression valve 51 is moved inwardly of its normal position, as illustrated in the drawing, by iiuid pressure in the bore 5. A coil spring 59 surrounds the shank portion 53 of each compression valve and abuts the end of the bore il and the inner end of of the valve.V While hydraulic pressure acts on both sides4 or each compression valve plunger portion, the pin-like portion 54 on the inner end'of each valve provides the',

only area differential so that a greater fluid pressure per square inch exists on the outer portion ot' the valve to cause the same to move inwardly or to the right as viewed in Fig. 2 when the liuid pressure exceeds the opposing force exerted by the coil spring The coil springs 59 engaging each of the compression valves may have slightly diierent rates so that they will not all open at the same time but will open successively as the uid pressure in the bore increases or the springs may have the same rate, and constructing the valve plunger portions 52 so that the groove 57 in each will communicate with valve body groove 43 at a diderent point in its travel. However, as each valve moves inwardly or to the right, the groove 5'7 in each valve is brought into alignment with the valve body groove d3 so as to permit uid to ow from the bore to the chamber 6. The amount of resistance offered by the coil springs 59 will, of course, determine the cushioning or .dampening eect of the unit. y As the Vpiston 9 moves inwardly or to the right, as viewed in Fig. 2, thus displacing hydrauiic liquidfrom the bore 5 through the valve body and into the chamber, iluid will ow from the chamber 6 through a passage 69, in the wall portion of the housing defining the bore 5, and into the outer end of the bore on the left side of the piston. in View of the fact that the plunger enters the bore 5 when the piston is moved to the right, all or" the liquid which is displaced by the piston from the bore 5 into the chamber 6 cannot flow to the opposite side -of the piston. Therefore, the flexible diaphragm 33 will permit the chamber to expand to accommodate the excess liquid. The diaphragm, therefore, provides a Variable volume chamber which will be completely lled with hydraulic liquid at all times.

After the piston 9 has been moved inwardly or to the right and the impact or movement o the movable member has been dampened, a coil spring "il, which is disposed in the bore 5 and has one end engaging the valve body 39 and the other end engaging the piston 9, will return the piston to the left to its initial outward position. Upon this return movement, hydraulic liquid in the outer or left-hand end of the bore 5 will ow back into the chamber 6 through the passage 69.' The Valve body 39 is provided with an intake valve 73 which will open due r to the differential in rluid pressure between the chamber 6' and the adjacent portion of the bore 5 to permit hydraulic fluid to ow back into the outer end of the bore. The intake valve 73 includes a valve member 75 normally retained against a Valve seat 77 in a bore 79 of the valve body by means of a coil spring Si which engages the valve 75 and engages a stem 33 which is connected at its inner end to a disk or plate-like member S5 which overlies the outer end of the valve body 39. An annular wire ring 87 is disposed between the plate 35 and the outer face of the valve body 39. Wire ring 37 and the plate S5 limit the outward movement o the compression valves 51, and the plate member 85 is suitably slotted and notched so as not to interfere with the :dow of liquid to the compression valves and from the intake valve. The outer end of the intake bore 79 of the valve ybody communicates through suitable slots S9 in the housing with the chamber 6 so as to permit fiuid to flow from `the chamber to the bore on. the return stroke of the piston. A suitable filler plug is provided in the right-hand end volume chamber provided by the flexible diaphragm, a

relatively simple and inexpensive unit is provided which will properly dampen the movement of a rapidly moving, relatively heavy member.

\Vhat is claimed is:

l. A hydraulic dampener, including a housing having a bore therein adapted to contain hydraulic fluid, a boreitting piston slidably disposed in said bore, a plunger operatively connected with said piston and having a portion thereof projecting outwardly beyond one end of said housing in position to be engaged and moved inwardly by a member whose movement is to be dampened so as to cause said piston to slide in said bore in one direction,

said housing having a closed chamber adapted to contain hydraulic fluid, a iexible diaphragm closing a portion of said chamber, a valve body mounted in the opposite end of said housing bore from said plunger, passageway means in said valve body for communicating said bore with said chamber, a plurality of compression valves movably supported in said body for controlling the ow of hydraulic fluid between said bore and said chamberk when said piston moves towards said valve body, spring means normally retaining each of said compression valves in a closed position wherein said body passageway means .is closed against the flow of Huid from said bore to said chamber, said compression valves being actuatable to Open position by Huid pressure in said bore when said piston moves in said one direction towards said valve body to permit uid to flow from said bore vto said chamber through said valve body passageway means, an intake valve carried by said valve body and communieating with said bore and with said chamber to permit uid to flow from said chamber to said bore when said piston moves away from said valve body, resilient means normally retaining said intake valve in its closed position,- and spring means operatively connected between said piston and said housing resiliently urging said piston away from said valve body.

2. A hydraulic dampener, including a housing having a bore therein adapted to contain hydraulic iluid, a boretting piston slidably disposed in said bore, a plunger operatively conected with said piston and having a portion thereof projecting outwardly beyond one end of said housing in position to be engaged and moved inwardly by a member whose movement is to be dampened so as to cause said piston to slide in said bore in one direction, said housing having a closed chamber adapted to contain hydraulic iluid, a flexible diaphragm closing -a portion of said chamber, a valve body mounted in the opposite end of said housing bore from said plunger, passageway means in said valve body for communicating said bore with said chamber, a plurality of compression valves movably supported in said body for controlling the flow of hydraulic iluid between said bore and said chamber when said piston moves towards said valve body, spring means normally retaining` each of said ,compression valves in a 'closed position wherein said body passageway means is closed against the ow of fluid from said bore to saidl chamber, said compression valves being actuatable to open position by uid pressure insaid bore when said piston moves in said one direction towards said valve body to permit uid to tiow from said bore to said chamber throughsaid valve body passageway means, each of said compression valves and its springmeans being constructed so that each ,of said .compression valves will open under different fluid pressure forces, an intake valve carried by said valvebody and communicating with said bore `and with said chamber Vto permit fluid to flow from said chamber to said bore when said piston moves away from said valve body, resilient means normally retaining said intake valve in its closed position, and spring means operatively connected between said piston and said housing resiliently urging said piston away from said valve body.

3. A hydraulic dampener, including a housing having 1 bore therein adapted to contain hydraulic duid, a boretting piston slidably disposed in said bore and having a socket in one face thereof, a plunger having a ball-like head on one end thereof disposed in said piston socket and having a shaft-like portion projecting beyond one end of said housing, a bushing extending over said plunger and removably sealed to said housing, a second bushing disposed within said rst bushing and substantially coaxial therewith for slidably engaging said plunger for movement axially thereof, means ilexible connecting said Erst bushing to said second bushing, means providing a seal between said plunger and said second bushing so that one end of said housing bore is closed and said plunger is slidably and sealingly supported therein, said housing having a variable volume closed chamber adapted to contain hydraulic fluid, and valve means connecting said housing bore and said housing chamber and adapted to control the ow of hydraulic uid between said bore and said chamber so that movement of said piston in said bore in at least one direction is eiectively cushioned.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,038,032 Flynn Apr. 21, 1936 2,244,274 Walden June 3, 1941 2,308,404 Thornhill Jan. 12, 1943 2,324,281 Cowey .luly 13, 1943 2,469,275 Rossman May 3, 1949 2,640,693 Magrum June 2, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 422,527 Great Britain Jan. 14, 1935 

